There has been much excitement at The Somerville Foundation office recently since world champion and Olympic silver medallist Roger Black agreed to be the host of our Radio 4 Appeal. Izzy Oag, the subject of our appeal case study, Lowri Smith…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/sZUw1UqN.png6671000Nicola Campbellhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngNicola Campbell2019-05-08 13:03:402019-11-06 12:22:13Olympic Medallist and World Champion Roger Black Speaks from the Heart
In January 2018 we applied to the BBC for a Radio 4 Appeal and 6 months later were absolutely thrilled to learn that we had been successful. Thus began a period of enormous excitement because, for a small team like us with big ambitions, this…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Roger-Izzy-Nic.png6671000Nicola Campbellhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngNicola Campbell2019-05-07 15:01:582019-11-06 12:22:13Breaking New Ground with the BBC
Name: Emily Sterling
Age: 24
Age when diagnosed: 6 weeks old
Condition: Bicuspid aortic valve, mixed aortic valve disease (aortic stenosis and regurgitation)
In February 2015 (just after my 20th birthday) I had open heart surgery…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Emily.png800800AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:432019-11-06 12:22:13Emily's Story
Name: Liza Morton
Age: 41
Age Diagnosed: At birth
Condition: Congenital heart block and a surgically fixed atrial septal defect (ASD)
Growing up, I tried to focus on the positives but we are our stories and mine emerged from difficulty.…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Liza_bw.jpg300300AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:432019-11-06 12:22:13Liza's Story
Name: David Makinson
Age: 54, born May 1964
Age Diagnosed: Soon after birth at The Middlesex Hospital, London – the child of a single mother who wished to put me up for adoption.
How has CHD affected your mental health?
In a nutshell,…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/David.png800800AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:432019-11-06 12:22:13David's Story
Name: Adam Stevens
Age: 39
Age when diagnosed: 2 weeks (originally suspected ToF)
Condition: Transposition of the great arteries.
How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health?
It’s given a schema of life that…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Adam_Stevens_BBC_Patients.jpg718718AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:432019-05-19 09:25:59Adam's Story
Name: Roderick Skinner
Age: 77
Age when diagnosed: 44
Condition: Triple bypass and replacement of defective (congenital) aortic valve with a mechanical
heart valve.
How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health?
The…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Roderick_bw.jpg499499AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:422019-05-19 09:29:32Roderick's Story
Name: Susan Manley nee Millard
Age: 66
Age when diagnosed: Before 1 year old
Condition: Three holes in the heart and faulty Tricuspid valve
How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health?
We were the experimental…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Izzy-2.png800800AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:43:422019-05-19 09:28:36Susan's Story
Read an Extract from Izzy's original post... My Open Heart.
I started to walk faster, legs shaking, and sheer panic overtook my entire body. As fast as my shaking legs could take me, I stumbled down the escalator of Oxford Circus station, attempting…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Izzy.png800800AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-05-03 17:42:442019-05-19 09:30:21Izzy's Story
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Untitled-design.png10801080Nicola Campbellhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngNicola Campbell2019-04-04 14:06:142019-05-02 14:50:12Growing Older with a Heart Condition - Manchester 1st June & London 20th July 2019
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_2456.jpg15362048Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2019-04-03 16:03:052019-04-03 16:03:05Forest Bathing - the restorative power of nature
Hearts & Minds: Supporting the mental health of congenital heart patients
We very much hope that you will be able to join us for our Annual Conference which this year will be held in Liverpool. Our focus for this conference is on mental…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Liver-buildings.93e8b13f.jpg6561000Nicola Campbellhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngNicola Campbell2019-03-18 11:20:092019-03-18 11:23:29Annual Conference 2019 Liverpool
Mindful relaxation: using our imagination to soothe ourselves and de-stress.
14th March 2019 - ECHO Office, Canterbury House, 1 Royal Street, London SE1 7LL
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/press-refresh-tickets-56039133557
Places must…
Cultivating self compassion.
Compassion is the concern for pain and suffering, whether our own or someone else’s and, most importantly, the desire to relieve it. Compassion can be given to yourself or others. Generally we are very good at…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/heartinhand2.jpg15362048Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2019-02-14 10:53:082020-10-08 12:24:02Compassion it
Setting Challenges as Motivation
There are many things my heart is beating for – friends, sports, travelling, horses… The list goes on, but what I have come to realise since my last open heart surgery is that the most important thing is…
We are working with service providers and relevant stakeholders to improve health care provision. On our behalf, as our voluntary Scottish Campaign Manager, Dr Liza Morton sits on NHS Scotland’s Scottish Congenital Cardiac Advisory Board &…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Liza-Morton.png800800AmyAtkinhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAmyAtkin2019-02-05 10:43:162020-10-08 12:24:27Campaigning in Scotland
Here are some options you can explore to find counselling and psychological support near you.
Youth Counselling Services: Based in your local area, sometimes run by the local authority or by a charity. These vary across the country and…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/happy-hearts.jpg370551Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2018-12-21 13:17:522020-10-08 12:24:33Counselling Support for Children and Young People
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Herm-Shell-Beach.jpg15372048Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2018-12-14 17:28:292020-10-08 12:24:40Relaxation tracks and more for you to try outAnne Crump
Anxiety is part of life and a feeling we all experience. A little anxiety can help us perform well at tasks and can bring about a heightened alertness that can be useful in situations where we might need to take care of ourselves. Too much anxiety…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Floating-feather.jpg23613121Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2018-12-14 14:51:522020-10-08 12:24:46Ways into Relaxation
Mindfulness is a mind-body approach that has become popular to help people manage anxiety, stress, recurrent depression, pain and long term medical conditions.
Mindfulness has its origins in Buddhist and Eastern Traditions drawing on meditation…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/heart-shaped-cloud-Copy.jpg15072048Anne Crumphttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngAnne Crump2018-12-13 12:44:032020-10-08 12:25:09So What is Mindfulness?
NIGHTRIDER™ GLASGOW 2019
Date: 22/23 June 2019
Distance: 50km or 100km
REGISTER NOW
After the success of the inaugural Glasgow Nightrider in May 2018, the iconic charity bike ride is
returning to Scotland in 2019. You can be a part…
Last chance to join our team
NIGHTRIDER™ LONDON 2019
Date: 8 / 9 June 2019
Distance: 50km or 100km
Nightrider is celebrating its 10th anniversary in London 2019, and you can be a part of this special
cycle challenge! Taking place throughout…
The Newcastle Freeman Hospital department of Paediatric and Adult Congenital cardiology serves a UK region of just under 3 million people (5% of the total UK population). All congenital abnormalities are recorded on the region’s NORCAS (Northern…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/research.jpg370551Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-12-03 12:49:172020-10-08 12:26:03Data leads the wayfrom Word clipart
How to find counselling & support services.
Reasons for thinking about this might be because you would like space to talk over concerns or feelings related to having congenital heart disease or because of other life issues. This is a…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/men-talking.jpg480720Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-11-28 13:39:182020-10-08 12:26:12How to Access Counselling and Psychological Services
I have been taking the drug warfarin since I was just six months old. I'm now 23, and when I tell people I take warfarin, they are sometimes confused and shocked. Why would a seemingly healthy 23 year old woman be on a drug commonly associated…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/womens-contraception.jpg370551Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-11-28 13:28:352020-10-08 12:26:19My life on Warfarin
"acquiring" other conditions
This is the second of two articles Written by Dr Leisa Freeman, Consultant GUCH Cardiologist, and Toni Hardiman, Specialist GUCH Nurse GUCH Clinic Norfolk & Norwich University NHS Hospital. These articles…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/take-care.jpg370551Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-11-28 13:24:272020-10-08 12:26:28Getting older with CHD - Part 2
From a patient perspective, the concept of being involved in clinical research may be daunting, disconcerting, and unsettling but, equally, it can be rewarding to have the opportunity to increase the knowledge of how best to manage their condition.…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/research.jpg370551Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-11-28 12:48:292020-10-08 12:26:36Clinical Research for Congenital Cardiology
Written collaboratively by Jonathan Upton, adult congenital heart patient and Helena Francis, Adult Congenital Heart Clinical Nurse Specialist at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Perhaps these words are familiar to you.…
https://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mri-scan.jpg370551Somerville Adminhttps://thesf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/somerville_foundation_logo.pngSomerville Admin2018-11-21 09:53:492020-10-08 12:26:59You need an MRI scan of your heart
Olympic Medallist and World Champion Roger Black Speaks from the Heart
Breaking New Ground with the BBC
Emily's Story
Liza's Story
David's Story
Adam's Story
Roderick's Story
Susan's Story
Izzy's Story
Growing Older with a Heart Condition - Manchester 1st June & London 20th July 2019
Forest Bathing - the restorative power of nature
Annual Conference 2019 Liverpool
Press Refresh - Mindful Relaxation
Compassion it
Heart Month
GUCH News Issue 92
Campaigning in Scotland
Counselling Support for Children and Young People
Relaxation tracks and more for you to try out
Ways into Relaxation
GUCH News Issue 91
So What is Mindfulness?
GLASGOW Nightrider 2019
LONDON Nightrider 2019
Data leads the way
How to Access Counselling and Psychological Services
My life on Warfarin
Getting older with CHD - Part 2
Clinical Research for Congenital Cardiology
You need an MRI scan of your heart